298 Mouslet, Birds of Hatley, Quebec. [j^r 



Mr. Greer tells me that a pair of these owls have nested in his cedar swamp 

 at Hatley Centre for at least four years if not longer, and that three or four 

 examples have passed through his hands to mount during the past eight 

 years, besides one which he has in his own collection. 



140. Asioflammeus (Pontoppidan). Short-eared Owl. — Rare tran- 

 sient. Mr. Greer tells me that he has only had one of these owls brought 

 to him to mount by Mr. Oral Bean of North Hatley. Mr. Greer found one 

 himself lying dead on the roadside not far from his house at Hatley Centre, 

 which had probably been killed by flying against the telephone wires. 



141. Scotiaptex nebulosa nebulosa (J. R. Forster). Great Grey 

 Owl. — Rare winter visitant. Mr. Greer tells me he has only mounted two 

 examples of this large and rare owl, one for Mr. H. R. Worthen of Ayers 

 Cliff, which bird was obtained about January 19, 1911, near Ayers Cliff, and 

 the other for Mrs. Elmer Colt of North Hatley, this bird being shot in her 

 sugar woods by Mr. Brissette, so she tells me, some time in March about 

 twelve years ago, and when I saw it on December 21, 1917, it was still 

 in her possession. 



142. Cryptoglaux funerea richardsoni (Bonaparte). Richardson's 

 Owl. — Rare transient. Mr. Greer tells me he has only mounted one 

 example of this rare winter visitant from the north, the exact records of 

 which were unfortunately destroyed in the fire of 1909. 



143. Cryptoglaux acadica acadica (Gmelin). Saw-whet Owl. — 

 Not uncommon resident. I have never seen this, the smallest of our owls,, 

 in life, but on April 4, 1916, I heard sounds proceeding from a wood near 

 my house, which might well be likened to the filing of a saw, and no doubt 

 proceeded from one of these small owls whose nest was probably in the 

 locality, as the sounds were heard shortly before and after the above date 

 by one or two other people. However, on October 20, 1917, an example 

 was given to me in the flesh which had been shot the same day in a cedar 

 swamp about a mile north of Hatley village, and which is being mounted 

 by Mr. Greer, who tells me that he generally gets a few every year, only 

 later in the fall, three examples being sent in last year, and from conversa- 

 tions I have had with many other farmers in the district it appears this 

 little owl is fairly well distributed. 



144. Otus asio asio (Linnaeus). Screech Owl. — Rare transient. 

 When visiting Mr. A. Murray of Ferncliff, Massawippi, on July 27,. 

 1917, a nicely mounted example of this little owl (in the gray phase 

 of plumage) was shown to me, which had been shot about two years 

 ago on Mr. Murray's estate. I have never seen the bird myself in life 

 nor can I remember ever having heard it calling, and Mr. Greer tells me 

 no examples have so far been brought to him to mount. 



145. Bubo virginianus virginianus (Gmelin). Great Horned 

 Owl. — Rare resident. My only acquaintance with this large owl was on 

 October 11, 1916, when an example was shown to me in the flesh, the bird 

 having been shot in the neighborhood of Hatley. This example turned 

 the scales at 3 lbs. 14 oz., which will help to give some idea of its size, as 



